Among the items festival-goers can bid on are restaurant dinners, and memorabilia and gifts from the Temecula wine country.

Jess Swick says he loves to run the Grapes and Gourmet auction.

“I don’t get paid to do it, I just volunteer to help other people – it’s a blast,” says Swick, a Claremont financial adviser who volunteers as an auctioneer for nearly 25 nonprofit events each year.

“Grapes and Gourmet gathers incredible and intriguing gifts together – getting people to buy them is my job,” Swick said.

Swick says he can speak very fast, but prefers being more conversational – even making puns – during an auction.

Proceeds go to CID functions such as after-school programs and aquatic programs in its therapeutic pool.

“The pool functions as a therapy pool for people who are referred to us because of severe arthritis, stroke and knee conditions that need surgery,” Joswiak says.

“The recreational services we provide to disabled people enhance their quality of life. We use recreation as an educational tool to help them with physical fitness and function, emotional and mental well-being and social development.”

His job is challenging, rewarding and exhausting, but he says he loves it.

“The center is my life. The reason I’m in the field is because I like to help people with disabilities. Sometimes, these people fly under the radar. They’re not as visible as others in the community.”

Caring and providing a voice for those “less visible” is Joswiak’s mission at the center.

The CID serves about 700 people each year in programs operated under the San Bernardino Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department, the county Public Health Department and San Bernardino City Unified School District.

“We’ve had budget cuts and right now we’re struggling,” Joswiak said, “but we have to continue serving disabled people.”

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